Monday, February 20, 2017

At a time when most of his friends were exploring other creative outlets to express their talents, Zach believed in radio ─ but with a twist!

Like many people his age, Zach found an out-of-touch medium targeted more for his parents than his generation. Nonetheless, he got ‘bit by the radio bug’ but decided to create an entirely different take on what ‘his definitation’ of radio could be…including tons of engagement using other co-branded programs. In other words, the epitome of “Brandwidth”!

Now he’s one of the youngest broadcasters ever to head his own network radio show, the pop culture show Zach Sang and the Gang on Westwood One.

In this episode, Zach identifies exactly what he -- as a listener -- saw missing, how that inspired him to ‘go for it’, and HOW he made his moves. He shares valuable tips on engaging the audience which ANY local host or station can put into use immediately for instant improvement!More from Zach:

Radio, the first tribe of wireless, continues to enjoy considerable advantages in the daily battle for consumer attention. The most successful talent and leaders in the trade are those who take nothing for granted putting those advantages to work.

Among Radio’s natural advantages are characteristics other media are trying to exploit or copy. These include wireless, mobile, local and real-time.

Thanks to wireless devices and networks, access to practically every media can now happen wirelessly. Moreover, these devices and networks have enabled the migration of internet based assets from fixed locations (e.g., desktops in the home and office) to mobile - almost any location with wireless connectivity.

Internet technology has created the opportunity for media to offer consumers content which is sensitive to location. While it may require consumer permission it is now possible for the new wireless media to create, deliver local content.

Radio’s major advantage continues to be its real-time or in the moment capability. This advantage – the incredible power of NOW - is truly unique since it plays an essential role in Radio’s ability to relate. Radio can be a real companion and talent using one-to-one communication skills are able to offer consumers remarkable experiences not always available from other media.

The challenge is to make something happen, to do work that, as Seth Godin says, “…people would miss if it were gone.” We are competing against ourselves. Zach Sang is spot-on when he talks about connecting with people and engaging the audience. Zach’s success is no accident. He’s a performer putting in the hard work to develop his craft and in that process he’s making a difference.

If you’re willing to play the game, serious about going to work every day dedicated to committing great Radio, then the only limitation is your imagination. Make something happen. Game on.

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Gabe Hobbs is a longtime award-winning radio leader, specializing in spoken word formats for the past 20-plus years.

As SVP Programming for Clear Channel Broadcasting, he oversaw 275 News, Talk and Sports stations, and served as in-house advisor to Premiere Radio Networks, where he worked with names you’ll know ranging from Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, to Dr. Laura, Bob Costas and even the President of the United States, Donald Trump! Now he heads Gabe Hobbs Media, featuring an impressive roster of top talent.

In this episode, Gabe reveals common threads to all of his successes, and offers tips you can implement immediately.

Gabe also shares insights on the 2017 Talk Show Boot Camp in Atlanta, where he'll unveil his latest 'HOBBS REPORT' on trends and performance of News/Talk stations and shows. He also shares tips that radio people of ANY format should be paying attention to moving forward!

You'll also want to check out the EXPANDED PLAY of Gabe's interview, with even more great insights trimmed for time!

It’s easy to forget the awesome power of Radio, the unmatched ability to create awareness and prompt action – to influence the local market.

At the best run stations, advertisers have an advocate – the sales department – which is preoccupied with their success. Putting the right creative to work in the right way improves the odds of client success and renewal. For sellers there are no stop sets only go sets.

Listeners also have an advocate – the programming team – which is obsessed with their wants, likes, preferences, interests, hopes, dreams, desires and latent fantasies. The mission, as Dr Roger Wimmer often says, is find out what the audience wants, give it to them and tell them you delivered.

My thought is the programming team should also lead a daily initiative to champion good things. Consider this three step process

1. Do your homework. Discover good work being done which deserves more attention. Be sensitive, attuned to those things which resonate with your target.

2. Create awareness. Provide the audience with what they need to know. The what and the why.

3. Encourage engagement. Sell listeners on what they can do. The how.

This week in your market there are people doing good work that deserve and need help to get the word out. Whether it’s a blood drive, a cup cake sale to raise money for school athletics, or a food bank which is failing to keep up with demand, local people doing good typically don’t get the media attention they should.

You can make a real difference. Be the change, help others to do good in your community. Give a damn. Become known as the relentless champion of locals doing good. Use your influence to get listeners involved in things that matter. It’s the rent we pay for the unique privilege of being a broadcaster.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Tom Webster is Vice President of Strategy for Edison Research, and has nearly 20 years of experience researching consumer usage of technology, new media and social networking, which makes Tom an ideal guest for Brandwidth On Demand.

Edison Research is perhaps best known as the sold providers of exit polling data during US elections for all the major news networks, and radio’s benchmark INFINITE DIAL STUDY, America’s longest running research series on digital media consumption.

Tom also a popular keynote speaker on data and consumer insights and writes about all of these topics. (Please see links below)

In this episode, Tom breaks down where radio IS, where he sees it going, and importantly, steps INDIVIDUALS can be taking now to secure their future career viability.

We ask Tom about what is stations may ‘think’ they know about their audience, product or branding, that they should maybe FIND OUT for sure?

We also explored 'disconnects' that he's observed between radio content creators and listeners.

And you won't want to miss his observations on lessons radio can learn from the recent elections!More from Tom Webster:

What can we learn from a banjo player? As it happens, we can all learn a lot starting with his now famous admonition…“Be so good they can’t ignore you.”

A cheerleader in high school, his first job was working weekends at Disneyland selling guidebooks. He started playing the banjo as a teenager.

A college dropout with a theater major, he landed a writing job on a network TV variety program which earned him, along with others, his first Emmy Award at age 23. He then began a career as a stand-up comedian. The banjo played a part in his act.

By the end of the 1970s he had become one of the most popular and successful stand-ups. Sold out tours, two platinum comedy albums, two Grammys for Best Comedy Recording and a Top 20 single, he’d made it.

He started the 1980s getting out of stand-up with the goal of getting into acting. He enjoyed acting success for three decades. Respected as a performer he hosted the Academy Awards three times.

Along the way, he got back into writing. One-off essays, plays, novellas, a memoir, a novel.

In his 60s, it was finally back to his first love, his true passion - the banjo. He released his first all-music album, The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo, which won him a Grammy.

This year you can catch him on the road, he’s the guy playing a banjo, co-starring in a show with Martin Short.

Steve Martin's career serves as a reminder, an inspiration. It’s never too late. We may not be able to write a different beginning about our careers but we can always put our imagination to work and write a new, different ending. Never give up.